Back to topWhich Website Platform is Best for SEO?
Honestly, you can get great SEO results on several different website platforms—it’s less about the platform itself and more about how well you optimize your content. That said, the top three for photographers are hands-down WordPress, Showit, and Squarespace.
But after mentoring hundreds of photographers on SEO and diving deep into their Google Search Console data, WordPress—specifically with Kadence themes—is consistently delivering the strongest rankings and the highest click-through rates.
Recommended WordPress Resources
Cloudways (Fast Website Hosting)
What it does: Website hosting directly affects site speed, and cheap hosting can slow your site down.
Cloudways is the Best hosting option I’ve found for blazing-fast hosting.
Gravity Forms (WordPress Form Builder)
What it does: Super fast loading custom forms for WordPress – can be used for contact and inquiry forms and I use Gravity Forms for all my own websites.
How to use it:
- Add the Plugin to WordPress
- Connect form to your CRM using included add-ons or using Zapier.
Recommended Designed-for-You Kadence “Child Themes”
What it does: My recommended WordPress Theme is Kadence – this makes wordpress as easy to use and customizable as Squarespace and if you need prebuilt themes – these are highly recommended for their fast load times and good SEO capabilities.
Website Optimization & Speed Tools
These tools help speed up your website, which is a huge SEO ranking factor.
ShortPixel (Image Compression)
What it does: Reduces image file size without losing quality to make your website load faster.
How to use it:
- Compress all JPEG & PNG images before uploading to your website.
- Use the “Glossy” setting for the best balance of quality + speed.
Session Replay Software (Free and Paid)
What it does: Shows you how users navigate your website
Google SEO Tools
These free tools from Google are essential for tracking, optimizing, and improving your website’s SEO performance.
Google Search Console
What it does: Google Search Console (GSC) lets you track how your website appears in search results. It shows you which keywords you rank for, what pages get the most clicks, and any errors that might hurt your rankings.
How to use it:
- Submit your sitemap so Google can index your pages.
- Check keyword rankings under the “Performance” tab.
- Find and fix indexing issues, mobile usability problems, and page speed errors.
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)
What it does: Your Google Business Profile helps you show up in local searches (like “[Your City] Wedding Photographer”) and appear in Google Maps.
How to use it:
- Claim and fully fill out your profile with photos, services, and a description using location-based keywords.
- Add regular updates & new photos to signal to Google that you’re an active business.
- Ask past clients for reviews to boost rankings in local searches.
Google Analytics
What it does: Tracks how visitors find & interact with your website so you can see what’s working.
How to use it:
- Check the “Acquisition” report to see how much traffic comes from Google search.
- Track which blog posts are bringing in the most traffic and optimize those posts further.
Google Keyword Planner
What it does: A free keyword research tool within Google Ads that helps you find search volume, competition, and related keywords.
How to use it:
- Enter a seed keyword (like “Colorado elopement”) to see related keyword ideas and their search volume.
Use this data to prioritize blog topics and optimize website pages.
Google PageSpeed Insights
What it does: Google’s site speed testing tool analyzes your website’s loading time on desktop & mobile and gives fixes for improving site speed.
How to use it:
- Run your website through PageSpeed Insights and fix any slow-loading elements (images, scripts, plugins, etc.).
- Aim for a 90+ score on mobile for the best SEO performance.
Extra SEO resources from Google
SEO Content & Blog Optimization Tools
Ahrefs (Paid – Advanced SEO)
What it does: One of the most powerful SEO tools that lets you track keyword rankings, backlinks, competitor SEO strategy, and content gaps.
How to use it:
- Use Site Explorer to see what pages on your website are ranking and where your backlinks are coming from.
- Track competitor keywords and create better content than them.
Headings Map (Chrome Extension – Free)
What it does: Shows the H1, H2, H3, and H4 heading structure of any blog post so you can analyze competitor content and improve yours.
How to use it:
- Check how top-ranking blogs structure their content and use a similar (but better) structure.
Grammarly (Free + Paid)
What it does: Helps you proofread blog posts and make sure they are clear, professional, and typo-free.
How to use it:
- Install the Grammarly extension and proofread all blog posts before publishing.
Keyword Research Tools
These tools help you find what keywords your dream clients are searching for so you can create content that ranks.
Keywords Everywhere
What it does: A browser extension that shows search volume, competition, and related keywords directly in Google search results.
How to use it:
- Install the extension and search for any keyword on Google.
- Use the “People Also Search For” and “Related Keywords” suggestions for blog topic ideas.
AnswerThePublic
What it does: Powerful keyword brainstorming & research tool by Neil Patel, shows questions around topics, uses google “autocomplete” search data
Ubersuggest
What it does: A beginner-friendly SEO tool for keyword research, competitor analysis, and website tracking.
How to use it:
- Find low-competition, high-value keywords for blog posts.
- Track what keywords competitors rank for and get content ideas.
Mangools SERP Simulator (Free)
What it does: A preview tool for meta titles and descriptions so you can optimize your blog post title to stand out in search results.
How to use it:
- Enter your meta title and description and make sure it isn’t too long or too short.
- Compare your title vs. competitor titles to make yours more clickable.
More questions or tools you’d like to discuss?
Feel free to ask me in my educational Weddings & Wanderlust community (it’s free!)
